Pharmacist team at Medina Memorial Hospital bring years of dedication to job

Photo courtesy of Scott Robinson: From left, Doctors of Pharmacy Tom Guzzino, Kate Brauen (director of pharmacy) and Faust Novello (board certified pharmacotherapy specialist) are shown at work in the pharmacy at Medina Memorial Hospital. Thursday was National Pharmaceutical Day.

MEDINA – In conjunction with National Pharmaceutical Day on Jan. 12, Orleans Community Health is recognizing pharmacists within Medina Memorial Hospital.

According to Scott Robinson, director of Marketing, Communications and Outreach, this is a time to showcase the impact pharmacists have on the public’s health and wellbeing.

“Our department team truly loves the work we do,” said Kate Brauen, Doctor of Pharmacy and director of pharmacy at Orleans Community Health. “Health care is a challenging and dynamic field. Pharmacy does more than just giving out medications. We monitor, educate and recommend drug treatments. We take our jobs very seriously and try to maintain a sense of humor every day.”

The 12-person internal pharmacy team at Orleans Community Health resides throughout Western New York, and their service to the community spans decades. The current team includes individuals who have held positions at Orleans Community Health from six months to nearly 40 years, Robinson said.

“We want our patients and the community to be healthy and successful when they leave our care,” Brauen said. “Pharmacists are one of the most trusted health care providers and I want people to know they can access their pharmacist and obtain great advice very easily. During the pandemic, the pharmacy team has sought out access to various therapies for Covid, including antivirals, vaccinations and antibody therapy. We have tried to educate ourselves so we can be a source of credible information to our colleagues and the community.”

A continual goal of Orleans Community Health is to help develop individuals in their career. Brauen is a preceptor for UB and St. John Fisher College Pharmacy programs, in addition to being a preceptor for a UB/Middleport Family Health Center Pharmacy Residency Program.

The Orleans Community Health pharmacy has two outpatient pharmacists in this program who round on TCU patients twice a week. These individuals work as outpatient pharmacists and collaborate with the hospital to help provide better care in the transition home from the hospital.

In addition to Brauen, the pharmacy team at Orleans Community Health includes Tom Guzzino, doctor of pharmacy; Faust Novello, doctor of pharmacy/board certified pharmacotherapy specialist; Paul Torreano, RPH; Fran Mosher, RPH; Rich Avalos, doctor of pharmacy; John Arley Wyman, doctor of pharmacy; Casey Kern, doctor of pharmacy; and Dawn Smith, Evelyn Osborne, Kara Shamblin and Amy Schultz, pharmacy technicians.

Brauen has been employed at Orleans Community Health’s pharmacy for 20 years, Torreano for 37 years, and Smith for 23 years.